Here's what the new BMO Centre will look like

Here's what the $500-million expansion of the BMO Centre will look like.

Three firms were chosen last year to come up with plans to double the size of the convention centre on the Stampede grounds, already the city's largest.

The Calgary Stampede Board president says Calgarians and the economy will benefit.

"When complete in 2024, the expanded BMO Centre will provide Calgary and southern Alberta a significant platform for economic diversification through growth in both the convention and tourism industries,"Dana Peers said, afterrenderings of the expansion were revealedWednesday.

"A building that would be inclusive of the entire community, a building that would represent Calgary, our community spirit and what both the cultural and entertainment district is about."

Peers said discussions are alsounderway with a hotel chain to build a new600-room property.

He added thatlarger convention organizers start looking for venues about five or six years in advance, and interest in Calgary remains strong.

The president of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) says the goal is a desire to connect to the urban condition.

"The team is making sure that pedestrians and cyclists and people during a massive event, that all feel welcome in and around the building," Kate Thompson said.

More than 1 front door

But don't tell someone you will meet them at the front door, because there is more than one.

"The district is the front door. There are various approaches you can take into the building. A building of this scale doesn't have one front door if it's going to be successfully integrated into its urban environment."

• 3 firms picked to design $500M BMO Centre expansion

The CMLCacting as development manager for the project on behalf of the Calgary Stampede says the project team was selected from among 12 proposals submitted by firms all over the world.

The three firms chosen to jointly build the expansion are Edmonton-based Stantec, which has a Calgary studio; S2 Architecture, which has studios in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver; and Populous, a large global firm with offices in Kansas City, Brisbane and London.

The BMO Centre'scurrent size of 285,000 square feet limits which conventions it can accept.The Calgary Stampede has previously said the venue turns down 11 to 14 large conventions each year.

The Stampede estimates the new BMO Centre and other elements including the controversial events centrecould draw private infrastructure investment of roughly $1 billion.

To allow for the expansion, and minimizedisruption to the convention centre during the expansion, a separate addition of about 100,000 square feet, known as Hall F, is under construction and nearly completed on the northeast side of the existing building.